


Try and Stop Me

by Forever_Daydreaming



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 13:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7847692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Forever_Daydreaming/pseuds/Forever_Daydreaming
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in January 2016. Aaron is broken, afraid, alone and he calls upon the person everyone would least expect...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this back in January before the start of Aaron's storyline so this was my interpretation of how it could have played out on screen. Hope you enjoy X

_Robert’s POV_

He wasn’t expecting anything like this to happen, he’d woke up with the intention of slouching in front of the TV like every other day, possibly getting a coffee from the café if he could be bothered. So he did, he sat there doing absolutely nothing, just staring at the screen, until something happened that made his heart race. His phone rang, reluctant to answer it at first thinking it would just be Vic again nagging on at him for not getting a job, he ignored the call, but when he looked at the missed call it wasn’t from who he thought but from who he imagined it would never be again - Aaron.

His heart was racing at the name that flashed up on his screen; his mind was running at 100mph. Why would he want to speak to me? He hates me. Should I call him back? Did he call me by accident? Before he knew it he was already dialling Aarons number - no answer. Immediately Roberts heart sunk back into his chest, this had confused things more for him as if the situation wasn’t complicated enough. Don’t kid yourself Robert, you had your chance and you blew it. Just as he landed roughly back onto the sofa Adam came storming through the front door.

“Adam?” Robert called.

“What do ya want?” Adam replied, already annoyance in his tone.

“You haven’t seen Aaron today have you?”

“Why are you so bothered? Anyway, even if I had I don’t see why you should be interested, last time I checked he hated you and you -”

“Yes or No? I just, I-”

“Listen, mate last time I saw him, he was just about to go on a run, not seen him since.”

It hit him like a punch to the gut - fear, worry, concern. Aaron was running again and the thought of him hurting like that again scared Robert to a point he still couldn’t bring himself to admit. He loved him more than anything or anyone and he couldn’t watch him suffer - not again! The phone call jumped into Robert’s mind. _What if something happened to him?_

“When was this?!” Robert said, panic now entering his voice.

“About an hour ago, why? There’s no point in talking to him, he’s not interested, listen Robert, I’d suggest you stay well away from him.” Adam said, a sense of threat lingering in his voice.

“Try and stop me.”

With that, Robert barged past him, grabbing his coat and slamming the door behind him - he had to find Aaron…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say Hey on tumblr - sugdenspecial


	2. Chapter 2

Aaron’s POV

He was tired; tired of the lies, the deceit, the constant paranoia on whether his secret would resurface. Ever since he came back, that lowlife he once called had his dad, life just went from bad to worse. After everything he went through with his mum, all the hospital visits and the PTSD, he just wanted it to just be them, “Us against the world!” she promised him… yeah right. She was off with him , Paddy was too busy with his dirty little affair, Cain was dealing with Debbie, even Adam wasn’t there after all the Johnny stuff. He had no one - well, sort of. 

He didn’t know how long he had been running, an hour? Two? All he knew was that it was working, with each step the pain stung him more and more - until one point, he found himself collapsed face first on the ground, his body must have given in from running on empty. That’s when he noticed the tears running down his numb face onto the hard ground beneath him. I need him. He reached into his backpack and called that familiar number, anxiously anticipating hearing that voice that once made him feel safer than ever before… He didn’t answer. At that moment he felt somehow even weaker than before. Empty. Scared. Thought so, he’s moved on… just like everybody else. At that moment he launched his phone into the distance, pulled a bottle of vodka out of his bag, dragged himself off the ground and carried on walking, hoping to drink himself into an oblivion.

Robert’s POV 

He’d never ran so fast in his life, he didn’t know he could run this fast, but he had to find Aaron - that’s all that mattered to him! After what felt like forever he saw a crouched figure in the close distance - Thank God! He raced over to him calling his name but when the man turned around, nothing but a silhouette of the man he loved stood before him - he had never seen him like this before.

“Ohhh look who it is, the great Robert Sugden, back again to tell me how useless I am, huh? Come to see the waste of space?!” Aaron shouted drunkenly.

“Oh my - Aaron. I got your call, I - What’s happened?” Robert asked, concern filling his voice.

“What’s happened?” Aaron laughed, waving the bottle in the air, “I’ll tell you what. HE came back! That’s what!” He shouted, angrily continuing, “He is feeding everyone lies and they’re all too thick to notice what he’s really like! It doesn’t matter because NO ONE cares about me anymore anyway - not even you.” A wave of guilt hit Robert in the gut, if only he knew, “I mean - why should they? Little messed up Aaron who hurts everyone they love, who cuts himself to shreds, who-” A tear escaped his eye and his voice calmed down, “Just drive away and leave me alone, I don’t need your pity” he said bitterly. Robert was lost for words, battling to hold back the tears that had formed from seeing Aaron like this. The man he loved was torturing himself and he didn’t know how to help him. 

“Aaron, please, just come with me, come home - please.” Robert begged. Aaron came right up to his face which allowed Robert to smell the alcohol on his breath.

“No.” He replied through gritted teeth, then turned and started to stagger away, taking another mouthful from the near-empty bottle. 

“I’m not just gonna watch you fall apart, running yourself to an early grave,” Robert called after him.

“Oh yeah?”

Aaron turned back to face his former lover again, opening his arms invitingly yet angrily towards him.

“Try and stop me then!” 

Before Robert could respond, Aaron’s face went pale, the bottle smashed to the floor and he fell suddenly to the ground, passed out.

“Aaron!” Robert screamed, rushing over to hold him, I’m not loosing you, not now. Crying, he rapidly dialled on his phone.

“Yes, hello? Ambulance…”


	3. Chapter 3

Robert’s POV

It was weird to see him lay there, he looked so rested, so peaceful - but Robert knew that that wasn’t the case. For hours now, he had been sat beside his bed just holding Aaron’s hand whilst he slept, never wanting to leave him again, Robert still hated hospitals after the shooting and Diane stuff, but none of that bothered him now. Aaron needed him and that’s all that mattered.

“You know what’s funny?” Robert started, slightly stroking Aaron’s hand delicately, “If I wasn’t the coward I am, none of this would’ve happened, you wouldn’t have been out on your own, in danger, thinking you had no one… You would’ve been safe. Not funny at all really is it? You’re hurt once again and it’s my fault. The one person I’ve only ever really loved, and I let you down again, and I am so, so sorry.” A tear slowly ran down Robert’s cheek, “Please Aaron, just wake up, wake up and tell me how much of an idiot I am, tell me I am stupid or selfish or arrogant, anything just please… wake up. I need you.” As he wiped away the tears he felt a grip on his hand, then looking up to Aaron he saw his eyes slowly flicker open. Thank God!

“What the -? Robert? What’s happened? Why am I here?” Aaron mumbled, confusion filling his voice.

“You had an accident Aaron, you collapsed in the forest after we talked, remember? You’d rang me and I’d found you there, don’t worry though, you’re safe now, I promise.” Robert said in an attempt to reassure him. Suddenly, the confusion left Aaron face and panic replaced it, his breathing became slightly heavier as vague memories of before reappeared in his mind.

“Aaron, are you al-”

“What did we talk about?” Aaron asked quickly, already scared of the answer, “Robert, what did I tell you?!” Robert looked to the floor, thinking of how to word his next few sentences, before returning to look Aaron in the eye.

“You talked about how you thought no one cared for you, that it was your Dad’s fault and you were better of on your own.” Aaron’s weak mood suddenly became cold and closed off.

“This doesn’t change anything. You need to leave. You need to go away but if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I swear -”

“No.”

“No?” 

“I’m not leaving you here on your own Aaron, I care too much about you to just walk away, so whether you like it or not - I’m staying.” His voice softened, “Listen Aaron, you don’t have to pretend in front of me alright, there must be something going on if you’re hu… if you’re hurting yourself again. Please, Aaron, talk to me, I’ll always be here for you whatever it is that’s happened.” In that moment, Aaron heard exactly what he had needed to over the past couple of weeks and he finally gave in to Robert - he was the only person who had shown any interest or concern, he knew he could trust him. A few tears began to roll down Aaron’s cheek as he tried to open up to him but when he opened his mouth he couldn’t seem to form any words.

“I can’t -” He chocked trying to fight back his cry.

“Don’t worry, you don’t need to tell me now, okay?” Robert brought his hand up to Aaron’s cheek and wiped away a tear, “Whenever you’re ready yeah? I’ll be right here.” They stayed there for a few seconds, just staring at each other, it was a look that told them each what they needed to know, a look they had already shared many times before. Abruptly, a nurse came through the door of Aaron’s room.

“Mr Sugden, visiting times are over now I’m afraid.” She informed the tall man standing beside the bed.

“Right yeah sorry.” He said to the nurse before looking back towards Aaron and gently smiling, “Get some rest, yeah?” He was about to turn around to leave when he felt a hand reach out to grab his.

“Are you erm… coming back tomorrow?” Aaron shyly asked, looking towards his hands that now rested on his stomach. Robert smirked at the ridiculous question.

“Try and Stop me.” 

With that, he left the room before glancing back once more at Aaron, just happy knowing he was safe at last…


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as he arrived home from court that day he ran straight up into his room, his legs almost giving in before he got there. As soon as he entered the door he collapsed back against it and fell to the floor in tears. He brought his legs up to his chest, wrapping himself up in his own embrace trying to hide from the pain - just like he did when he was a little boy. He felt so suffocated, the years of secrecy, the shame he felt day in day out, even today in the courtroom watching that bastard stand up there in front of everyone and make him out to be sick in the head. It was all too much. For what felt like hours Aaron stayed curled up on the floor, remembering all the nights he would hide under the covers breathing as quietly as possible, not because of the monsters under the bed or the ghosts all his friends seemed to be scared of at night, but in case he came in again, in case he did that to him again. Suddenly he was snapped out of his thoughts by a gentle knock at the door and a soft voice calling from the other side.

“Aaron?” Robert started, “Aaron are you in there?”

Aaron built up enough energy and pulled himself off the floor before opening the door for Robert and walking over to sit on his bed. Robert copied his actions and took a place next to Aaron on the edge of the bed. 

“You been in here this whole time?” Robert asked. Aaron was looking down towards his feet but still nodded slowly in reply, a tear escaping his eye.

“Listen to me, I know today was difficult but tomorrow -” Robert paused as he noticed Aarons tenseness and started speaker again in a softer tone, “but tomorrow, he is gonna get locked up for what he did to you, okay, you’re never gonna have to face him again, he can’t do anything to you Aaron.” Aaron scoffed at this shaking his head before looking Robert in the eyes.

“Okay?” He said taken aback, “Don’t you get it Robert, this will never be okay.” Aaron voice started to raise.

“Aaron, I didn’t mean it like that, I -”

“It doesn’t matter if he gets sent down or not tomorrow, no matter what happens I can’t win. Don’t you see that? I’ve already lost. They all think I’m some sick, twisted delusional freak whose lost his mind. They think I’m a liar. It doesn’t matter anyway, he won this 16 years ago when he first got inside here,” Aaron shouted pointing at his head, “When he first -” He stopped himself as more tears fell from his eyes. “I remember every single moment of it, I can still feel that same pain every minute of every day of my life. Any chance of me getting to be normal like anybody else he stole when I was eight! Eight years old…” He whispered before Robert saw the anger build back onto his face, “AND ITS NOT FAIR!” Aaron yelled throwing everything that was on his cabinet onto the floor causing it to smash, before a look of fright washed over his face and his breathing became heavy, “It’s never gonna end is it? I’m always gonna feel like this. This is gonna stay with me forever, I’m gonna be on my own again…” His tear filled eyes met Roberts once again, “I can’t do this on my own. I can’t…” Aaron’s suddenly felt as if he couldn’t breathe again, like he did earlier on in the courtroom, trapped in his own body.

Robert stood up and walked over to him, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him into a hug so Aaron’s head was rested against his chest. “Sshhh,” Robert hushed trying to calm Aaron down, “Listen to me, you are never going to be alone, okay? You’ve got your mum, Cain, Paddy, Adam,” Aaron pulled back and looked up at Robert, “and you’ve got me, always. No matter what happens, you have always got me and I’m gonna be stood there, right next to you whenever you need me, alright?” He whispered wiping a tear away from Aaron’s cheek, “It may seem like he’s won but he hasn’t,” with this Aaron looked back down at his feet, “Look at me,” Robert reassured causing Aaron to look back at him, “You are the strongest, bravest person I know and you can beat him, I’m sure of it, I promise you, you will win this.”

Aaron took another deep breath before nodding slightly and wiping his eyes.

“Will you come with me tomorrow? For the verdict?” Aaron said sniffling slightly.

“Try and stop me.” Robert said causing Aaron to smile gently before pulling him in for another hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this fic!


End file.
